Nelson Melton, representing the Tabernacle Baptist Church (TBC), spoke
to the FDA Board on July 30, 2012 about TBC’s plans to demolish the homes at 1913 and 1915 Grove Avenue, replace that lot with lawn, and reconstruct the building facades on the rear part of the church as an entrance for church offices.

@bpfox – The Fan is a National Historic District, which offers nothing in the way of restrictions or protections. This designation offers tax incentives to adhere to certain specifications, but that is voluntary.

The houses have been empty for over 20 years. I know someone who went to the meetings when the church decided what to do with the houses. I got to look at the packet that was voted on by the church. They couldn’t decide to either tear them down or renovate them 20 years ago so they sat and deteriorated further on the inside. What you guys haven’t really gleaned from what was posted above is that the front of the houses will be saved, porch, bricks and all, and the building that will be built back from the street a bit will retain those same porches and bricks from the front of the houses. So it will look as if the houses are still there, just back a bit like some of the houses on grove in the museum district. A group in the church wanted to save the houses, but they were apparently in such poor condition, with lead paint, asbestos, and 20 years of neglect on the interior that it was the most expensive option, and building a new building allows the church to keep the look of the houses but have it configured for better use of their space. That’s what I was told anyway.

I don’t believe allowing the properties to fall into disrepair over several decades is a valid excuse for their destruction. This organization failed to maintain them and now they will damage the integrity of the neighborhood by destroying part of it and creating more “missing teeth” where only one empty lot existed on this block (also theirs.) Disfiguring the uniformity of the block is not ameliorated by pasting the trim from these houses onto their office building. An infuriating move.

So let me get this straight. You guys are most upset that the houses will not look the same as all the others anymore? That the “feel” or aesthetic will be ruined? Do you also want to pick the race of the people you’d like to move in there? Or the cars they drive? This sounds worse than a suburban homeowners association. What historically important event happened there? Are you just concerned about your property values?

It is nice to see the concern about the church-owned buildings. If only such concern was expressed about the overall appearance of the fan neighborhood. Have you taken a hard look at the neighborhood lately. There are 32 likes on the Fan District facebook page for painted murals on the sides of buildings. Why aren’t people upset about this? At least the church is saying they will keep the facades in tact.
What about the garbage, weeds, and general unkempt look that has taken over. My neighbors on Park won’t even pick up trash that blows and gets stuck in front of their house, and I live on one of the nicest blocks. I walked over to pick on dry cleaning on Strawberry and noticed weeds that are more than 3 feet tall growing in tree wells, trash, roads in total disrepair (pot holes, cracks). Please, let’s take care these issues and leave the church alone. Let’s get a clue and worry more important issues – crime, drug sales in the Parks, trash, etc. I was walking my dog last night in front of Kuba Kuba and someone asked if I wanted to buy drugs!

These houses, if renovated, could easily generate over $3000 a piece in yearly real estate taxes for the city. Is Tabernacle Baptist paying anything to the city in real estate taxes? I’m guessing not, so they’re forcing folks who do own houses to make up the difference in higher taxes. Most churches in this city are just big financial leaches that put nothing back into the community.

You would be hard pressed to say that Tabernacle Baptist leeches off the community. As a voting site, a USDA food pantry, childcare center for many, many fan families, providing free parking in their lots 6 days a week (not on wednesday nights or sunday mornings), opening their doors to the burmese refugee community, I’d say as small as the active congregation is, they do plenty.

@chpn – The FDA board is fully aware that we have no legal standing on the issue; and that’s not just because the Fan is not an O&H district. The church also has special exemptions because of it’s religious status. Regardless though, that doesn’t preclude the FDA from making the neighborhood aware of the church’s plans.

The FDA pushed for the O & H classification for the Fan District back in the late 1990′s and an opposing group from the 2000 block of Grove fought it tooth and nail. The failure of the FDA to make this happen means from time to time we’ll get razing of irreplacable homes, suburban gas stations and perhaps worse.